by Swann, Lara
I ignored the irony of my irritation at her alertness and lifted Bella up before she could say anything else. In truth, I was just glad she was aware and coherent enough to make unhelpful comments.
“Wheee—”
Her laughing voice had me shaking my head as I tucked her back in my arms and her hands came around my shoulders without thought. She was still shivering slightly, but the big, jerky movements had stopped and she had a bit more color. I pushed the rush of relief away until I was done here, but something eased inside me anyway. Kaylee followed us into the bedroom and busied herself fetching painkillers and water from a bag off in the corner as I laid Bella down under the thick covers.
The urge to get in with her - to take her in my arms and hold her until she was warm and relaxed again, letting my body heat her - almost took my breath with its strength. But while I would have done it without a second thought had Kaylee not been here, right now it would cause more problems than it would solve. Instead, I turned to the other girl, who was pressing a couple of pills into Bella’s hands and guiding her hands around the water. She glanced at me before continuing, but I nodded that it was fine.
“Take these, babe. C’mon.”
Bella managed them with a few harsh coughs and I winced in sympathy for her broken throat, thinking it was a good thing she had a towel around her as more of the water went on that than in her. When they were done, I took Kaylee’s shoulder again, meeting her gaze.
“Get in with her and warm up together. Stay with her tonight, make sure she’s okay. If you need anything, I’m down the corridor, left, then the second door, alright?”
She nodded, more aware now, and I figured the alcohol must have passed its peak.
“Come get me if anything happens.”
She nodded again, and then I could find no reason to stay any longer.
Reluctantly, I turned and left, hovering a few moments outside the door.
I wanted nothing more than to go for another run - hit the gym - hell, work my way through a few drills. Anything to take the edge off and survive the raging emotions about to explode through me. But I had to be here in case something went wrong - with my words to Kaylee, I’d effectively confined myself to one room all night.
Cursing, I spun and headed for my room, resigning myself to dealing with the fear and rage the hard way.
At least until morning.
Chapter Thirteen
Bella
Squinting up at the sky, I walked down the long garden with my stomach twisting uncomfortably. I was surprised I could bear to be outside, actually - but it had taken until mid-afternoon to recover, and the overcast clouds helped. It was the first day this summer that hadn’t been intense sun and heat. Fortunate timing that I didn’t quite feel I deserved.
It had been bad enough waking up with my body aching all over, Seth’s name on my lips and confused flashes of the night before - but when Kaylee filled in the blanks, I thought I’d die of mortification.
I could scarcely believe what he’d done for me - or just how damned lucky I was that he was in the right place at the right time. Kaylee was in a similar state of disbelief too, if the way she’d gushed over just how sexy his heroics and commanding attitude had been any indication. It had been enough to make me almost jealous that I couldn’t remember more of it, however nonsensical that was. Her words still brought heat to my cheeks.
“God, Bella, he was soo impressive. I was kind of out of my mind with terror, but he just completely took over. Saved us both. Not at all the jerk you said, either - if anything, I was kind of a jerk. In a good way, though. That fun, drunk way I have, right? Man, if he was my brother I’d be…hah, pissed off actually - wouldn’t get to bone him that way. That guy is sexy as hell.”
It was just Kaylee’s typical way of running her mouth, speaking the first thing that went through her mind without any filters, but it was scarily close enough to the mark that I’d struggled with a response. I’d snapped back something about him being completely off limits for any boning and she’d just laughed, nodding and agreeing easily - with another insistence that she get first dibs on any Navy SEAL friends.
I’d considered burrowing under the blankets and never coming out, but this time it was different - I knew I had to find him. To apologize, thank him…god, who in hell knew. It was just that - as mortifying and uncomfortable as it was to picture last night - I couldn’t ignore what he’d done. Take it for granted and just go back to the never want to see him again attitude of only a day before.
When I’d asked Kaylee if she knew where he was, she’d pointed me in this direction. Said she’d seen glimpses of him all day through the window I’d resolutely avoided, working out or something. The idea of working out all day sounded a bit crazy to me - but I guessed that was what Navy SEALs did. That, or he had some serious aggression to work out.
I hoped it wasn’t the latter.
When I finally made it down to the end of the landscaped garden and started walking through the light patch of trees and undergrowth that we’d always kept slightly wilder, I caught sight of him hanging from the branch of one of the taller trees - pulling himself up and down with an intense ferocity that had me standing and admiring for a few moments. He was only wearing a pair of lightweight shorts, and his ripped chest gleamed with the evidence of the exertion, hard muscles flexing under tan skin and giving me all sorts of inappropriate thoughts.
Sexy sweaty Navy SEAL…I could just imagine what Kaylee would say.
He noticed me almost immediately, dropping down lightly and stepping towards me. For a moment I thought I saw a flash of light in his gaze, but then his expression turned unreadable as he gave me a long look up and down. Usually I felt the heat in that gaze, but this time there was no spark of lust to it - in him. Simply seeing him like this and watching him look at me seemed enough to have my body doing cartwheels.
When his eyes finally settled on mine, I took a deep breath, whatever I’d been planning on saying suddenly deserting me. It didn’t matter as he filled the gap.
“Fucking. Stupid. Girl.”
I winced at the careful, neutral enunciation of each word. Accurate, but still painful. I nodded, my hands knotting in front of me like I was some nervous schoolgirl. Maybe in this, I was.
“Yeah. I know. Does it help to know it took me this long to recover from the world’s worst hangover?”
He grunted, but at least a little of the light entered his eyes again.
“You look alright to me.”
It wasn’t quite a question, but I could tell he wanted the confirmation anyway. I gave a weak smile.
“Kaylee was generous with the meds - she’s pretty well practiced in hangovers. And with a deadly Navy SEAL looking out for me, I was never in much danger - I hear they never fail.”
“Damn straight.”
His mouth quirked up at the side, and part of me eased inside as I saw it. I stepped closer, reaching out for his arm. The muscle there was tight under my hand, still bulging from the hard use, and without thinking, my touch became a caress.
“I’m sorry, Seth - really, I am. It was an insanely idiotic thing to do. I…”
I shrugged a little helplessly.
“You saved my life.”
“Twice.”
The spark was back in his eyes, and at least I sensed a little amusement under that still surface.
“Yes. Twice. How can I ever find a way to repay that?”
My feeling of inadequacy was overridden by his rough chuckle, the way heat came back into his eyes again at that comment. He folded his arms and raised a brow, looking me up and down obviously again.
“Weellll, I can think of a few things.”
I laughed, slightly relieved for the return of our usual rhythm. He shook his head though, the shadows coming back into his eyes as he frowned.
“You might have been completely wrecked, but I can’t believe your friend didn’t think better of that.”
I could tell from his emphasis t
hat he was giving most of the blame to Kaylee there, and I shrugged. I couldn’t really explain how we’d both been so stupid - looking back on it, I still didn’t know how it had happened.
“Kaylee…she’s used to me vetoing her insane plans. This time - she just didn’t realize I wasn’t in any state to do so.”
He sighed and ran a hand through his short hair, making me picture doing exactly the same thing. Without thinking, I stepped forward, my eyes lingering again on those hard pecs. My hand reached out to the black ink twisting there, the elegant eagles poised in flight - defiant and fierce with the Navy anchor behind them.
“This is a gorgeous tattoo, Seth.”
His voice was a deep rumble when he answered, his hand closing over mine as it traced the lines.
“You really shouldn’t have mentioned it last night.”
I flushed - that was one of the few flashes I’d remembered without Kaylee’s prompt. Not that she missed the opportunity to describe it in great detail anyway. My response was a murmur as I let myself get lost in his chest.
“I wasn’t exactly thinking at the time. I don’t think Kaylee noticed anything though - she was pretty drunk too.”
He looked dubious, and if I was honest, I was too.
“Besides, she was too busy thinking about jumping your bones.”
“Was she now?”
The considering tone made me slap my hand against his chest. I think the solid muscle fared better than my wrist - which he grabbed a moment later, catching it and then my eyes.
I took another step closer, breath coming harder as I crossed over the limits of polite distance.
“Ughh…don’t tell me you’re interested in her now? What is it about guys that makes them fall for that long-legged, blonde-haired beauty type all the god-damned time?
“I wouldn’t know…it’s not her I’m interested in.”
His eyes turned dangerous and my heart skipped a beat as I was suddenly there, pressed up against him. When his head tilted down to look at me, I couldn’t resist it any longer.
I kissed him.
Rough, passionate, intense. And so unbelievably belated.
Our arms came around each other at the same moment as our mouths capturing one another in an explosion of passion that had me moaning aloud.
Ohh god…
It was heavenly, overwhelming, powerful in a way I didn’t even have time to process. All I knew was that he felt perfect like that, his tongue strong in my mouth as he took it, claimed me in the way his eyes had promised so many times.
“Fuck, Seth…”
My voice was rough when I finally came up for air, still nibbling and kissing at his lips as his arms wrapped tighter around me, my body melting against his as I felt the full weight of his solid, hard form. Every muscle was outlined under my chest and my heart was running at double the rate as I looked up at him and all the objections that I’d clung to desperately died. There was simply no room for them anymore. Not against the insidious, unrelenting lust that every word, gesture and look he gave me created.
He chuckled, but it was a dangerous sound, tinged with the same need pounding in my veins.
“I’m nasty, babe. I thought women hated sweat and stuff.”
“You’ve been hanging out with the wrong women - I’ve heard the right ones are addicted to those pheromones…”
I leaned against him to prove my point, and I meant every word - his powerful male scent overwhelming me in the best way, stirring my blood as it reacted to the powerful, alpha guy right in front of me.
“But if you’re complaining?”
My voice was light, but I couldn’t keep it up for long as he growled and came down over me again, taking my mouth in his and leaving me breathless with passion and need. His hot tongue had my pussy clenching with need, picturing another kind of penetration entirely.
His arms swept around and lifted me as if I was nothing, my legs fitting around his firm waist and putting me right on top of the hardness I could already feel waiting for me there. I moaned again, running my hands across his light, short hair as I brought his head back to kiss and touch and taste.
It was too much. No way I could resist. I’d put up a valiant fight for a good couple of weeks, but fuck me, he was impossible.
He’d saved my life. Twice.
Once, I could deal with. But twice? How could any girl be expected to resist that?
And I didn’t. My body did nothing but bend to his will as he ravaged me with both mouth and hands, touching me everywhere that had been so desperate to feel him. My breasts were burning as he played and squeezed and caressed while his tongue still played with mine. Wetness soaked me as he kept me there, pressed against him and feeling hard muscle beneath every part of my body. The guy was a machine - I’d been impressed three years ago, but it had nothing on now. The powerful way he held me, moved us, his body supporting whatever he wanted to do without the slightest indication of strain. The washboard abs and tight, delicious pecs I’d feasted my eyes on earlier fueling even more of my senses now.
I was moaning helplessly, my pussy on fire with need, when he finally shifted me a little, reaching for his belt.
That did bring back some form of awareness and I looked up with a brief expression of alarm, glancing around at the dotted trees and the gardens I could just about make out behind them.
“There’s no one around, babe - I’d know. SEAL instincts are never wrong.”
The deep tone rumbled through me. I didn’t know whether to believe him or not, but after last night I figured it would be a while before I tried to question just what SEALs could or couldn’t do.
And besides that, I trusted him. Implicitly and to a level that scared me. He wouldn’t let anyone see us like this.
That thought was enough for me to nod, and with that I gave up any choice in the matter, the powerful need sparking through his eyes giving me all the assurance I could ask for about what was about to happen.
My skirt was hitched up around his waist, covering us a little, and as he pushed his shorts down he shifted us so that I felt the head of his thick cock pressing up against my wet panties. That was enough to have me taking his mouth again, insistent with my own need as his hands at my waist slowly started lifting me up and down, his hips thrusting so that his cock rubbed up against me, again and again. It drove constant sparks of desire through me, winding us both up to a level where I was sure we’d both explode if we didn’t get more right that instant.
He answered the need almost the moment I thought it, reaching down and ripping my panties from me with one sharp movement. I stared at him in shock at that, but then the power of it washed through me and I found myself even more desperate. He pushed me back against a tree, arms behind me protecting my back from the rough bark, but using that leverage to hold me right above the beautiful, steel promise of his aching cock. I felt it against my waiting entrance and whimpered with lust, nuzzling at his head as my hands clung to him, nails gripping hard into those powerful shoulders.
He hesitated just one moment, fighting against every instinct riding him as he looked at me, suddenly uncertain. I read the question in his eyes.
“It’s alright - I’m on the pill. And I’m safe.”
“Me too, but…”
“Fuck it, Seth. I trust you.”
I didn’t care if he’d been with a hundred damned girls. If he told me it was safe, I didn’t need proof.
And I wasn’t waiting a god-damned moment longer.
My mouth closed over his and his concerns disappeared as he pushed up into me with a strength that rocked my entire world.
“Fuuuuck.”
I couldn’t hold it back, cursing as everything inside me exploded at that full, intimate feeling. He felt bigger than I remembered, stretching me to my limit as he moved slowly within me, giving me a chance to adjust.
It felt fucking fantastic, everything I’d pictured and imagined and kept myself awake at night dreaming about. My pussy shuddered around him a
s if it had been waiting for this for the last three years and I couldn’t help whimpering against his mouth, driven by the raw need and desire I’d spent so long suppressing.
Those few, careful movements ended a moment later as I felt his body coiling against me, his eyes hot with a stormy passion that was ready to sweep me away completely.
Where the first time all those years ago had been sweet and gentle, this was not. There was too much between us, years of waiting, endless unspoken things - frustration and need and anger. As his body took mine and our hands and mouths scrabbled over each other, this was a rough expression of everything there. Our bodies working out what our minds and words couldn’t.
He cradled me against him, protecting me from the rugged surroundings, but that was the only consideration as he left me completely defenseless to anything and everything he did instead.
I was gasping at him, nails biting into him now, scratching down his solid back as I pressed myself into him - wanting more, harder and faster as everything inside me gave into the passionate fury building between us. I wanted to curse at him, and cry, and laugh, and every confused feeling came out in that hot, intense joining between our bodies.
We were both muttering incoherent things to each other, cursing the wait, the desire, this stupid need that had screwed us both up so much.
It was rough, and harsh, and so completely perfect I never wanted it to end.
My body was on fire with every stroke, every movement and touch of his perfect body, and it just kept building. The need and the urge growing within me until I felt close to a breaking point. Every part of me was pounding, moving to the same rhythm he set with a relentless determination. Every nerve ready to explode as he drove me higher and higher.
“God, Seth…I…”
He grunted against me, his thick need inside me throbbing as he had me sinking down onto it again and again, faster as my breath came in short gasps. I felt it twitching inside me as he drew closer to his own edge, burying his head between my breasts and ravishing them as I cried out helplessly. I had a brief moment to hope to god he was right about there being no one around, and then he moved - taking us down to the ground and letting me land on top of him, driving himself harder and faster inside of me as his arms cradled me close.
